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did mal spread the misinformation that shonen, seinen, shojo, josei are genres?

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do you consider shonen, seinen, shojo, josei as genres?
Feb 4, 6:08 AM
#1

Offline
Jan 2009
103056
so ye did mal spread this misinformation if not the origin of all this?
Feb 4, 6:16 AM
#2

Offline
May 2019
8454
Mal doesn't show them as genres, it shows them as dempgraphics. Mal is correct.
Feb 4, 6:17 AM
#3

Offline
Jan 2009
103056
Reply to tchitchouan
Mal doesn't show them as genres, it shows them as dempgraphics. Mal is correct.
@tchitchouan well thats just recent change or improvement for mal though but over the majority of mal years they call them genres
Feb 4, 6:20 AM
#4

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May 2019
8454
Reply to deg
@tchitchouan well thats just recent change or improvement for mal though but over the majority of mal years they call them genres
@deg If so, then it was definitely a mistake.
Feb 4, 8:06 AM
#5

Offline
Jun 2017
2871
More like they started using the original "Genres" category for any type of classification, until it was so watered down that it stopped meaning anything. The problem lay in keeping the word "genre". Renaming it to something more neutral like "tags" might have avoided confusion.

This was FMAB in 2009:



In 2014:



In 2022:



(Note that I didn't trace the moment each change took place exactly.)

I'm not saying the current system is perfect, but it was an attempt to solve a situation that had got out of hand, mostly due to lack of forethought.
(And one must always remember that when you redefine categories the database doesn't magically sort itself out: somebody has to revise each entry and reassign tags manually. If you think about it, it is commendable that it was done at all.)

Feb 4, 8:21 AM
#6

Offline
Sep 2016
12556
Not really a misinformation, the manga demographics are largely accompanied by specific tropes, and a recurring set of tropes is essentially a genre.
Feb 4, 8:54 AM
#7

Offline
Jun 2017
5589
that's always been a thing, as far as i know, before i used Mal. Most "off shore" anime sites i saw had it listed under genres.

As for my opinion, genre may not be the right word but i think there are enough shows with those tropes in common for them to be grouped together in some way
My waifu is the most wonderful waifu. Mai Valentine.

We're freaking out that we're running out of time, but to do what? Should i stop and think of that? Is there something i could do to slow it down? Live in a day for once, instead of watch it sprinting by
Feb 4, 9:00 AM
#8

Offline
Jan 2009
103056
Reply to Tirinchas
More like they started using the original "Genres" category for any type of classification, until it was so watered down that it stopped meaning anything. The problem lay in keeping the word "genre". Renaming it to something more neutral like "tags" might have avoided confusion.

This was FMAB in 2009:



In 2014:



In 2022:



(Note that I didn't trace the moment each change took place exactly.)

I'm not saying the current system is perfect, but it was an attempt to solve a situation that had got out of hand, mostly due to lack of forethought.
(And one must always remember that when you redefine categories the database doesn't magically sort itself out: somebody has to revise each entry and reassign tags manually. If you think about it, it is commendable that it was done at all.)
@Tirinchas thats an interesting investigation you have done cool
Feb 4, 9:38 AM
#9

Online
Aug 2011
1054
Definitely not, since other sites referred to these as “genres” before MAL even existed. For example, ANN’s encyclopedia, which they launched in 2002, a couple of years before MAL, used to list them under “genres” alongside actual genres like romance and comedy.

I don’t think ANN was the origin either, though. These have been talked about in conversation as “genres” by fans for as long as I can remember, even predating ANN’s encyclopedia.
palm-treeFeb 4, 11:54 AM
Feb 4, 12:01 PM

Offline
Jan 2009
103056
Reply to palm-tree
Definitely not, since other sites referred to these as “genres” before MAL even existed. For example, ANN’s encyclopedia, which they launched in 2002, a couple of years before MAL, used to list them under “genres” alongside actual genres like romance and comedy.

I don’t think ANN was the origin either, though. These have been talked about in conversation as “genres” by fans for as long as I can remember, even predating ANN’s encyclopedia.
@palm-tree ok did not know that about animenewsnetwork guess this fake genres thing is around forever

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